With teacher unrest making headlines across the state in recent weeks, Tennessee State Education Commissioner Kevin Huffman announced Monday plans to request the modification of the state’s controversial new teacher evaluation system.
It remains to be seen whether the change –– billed as a move to make the evaluation timeline more flexible –– eases concerns of agitated educators.
In a Tennessee Department of Education press release Monday, Huffman said he plans to ask the state board of education to modify the state’s new teacher evaluation system, implemented this year to grade the performance of teachers. A component of the state’s 2009 Race to the Top legislation, the system subjects teachers to a grading system that some have criticized as time-consuming, bureaucratic and unfair.
According to the release, the proposed adjustment would allow principals to conduct two of the required in-class observations “in succession, and thereby hold only one pre- and post-conference meeting for the combined observation.”
The department says the adjustment would “streamline” the evaluation process and offer “flexibility” to teachers and principals.
“We have said from the beginning that we will listen and respond to feedback from educators on this evaluation model, and that is exactly what we’re doing,” Huffman said in a statement. “This adjustment made sense, and if approved, our evaluation system will be stronger because of it.”
Huffman added he anticipates making additional modifications to the evaluation system next summer after reviewing data from this year’s results.
Huffman is set to present the proposed change at a state board of education meeting Friday.